Heather plant named `Anette`

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Heather plant named `Anette`, characterized by its bright pink flower buds that maintain color throughout the winter; light green leaf color without reddish tones; and freely and strong basal branching habit.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Heatherplant, botanically known as Calluna vulgaris, and hereinafter referredto by the cultivar name `Anette`.

The new Heather was discovered by the inventors in Seligenstadt,Germany, in July, 1992, as a naturally-occurring mutation of the Callunavulgaris cultivar `Melanie` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,789). The new Heatherwas observed as a single plant with pink-colored flower buds in a groupof plants of the parent cultivar which has white-colored flower buds.

Asexual reproduction of the new Heather by terminal cuttings taken atEdewecht, Germany, has shown that the unique features of this newHeather are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of `Anette`. These characteristics incombination distinguish `Anette` as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Bright pink flower buds that maintain color throughout the winter.

2. Light green leaf color without reddish tones.

3. Freely and strong basal branching.

The new Heather has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however,any variance in genotype.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The first photograph comprises a top perspective view of a typical plantof `Anette`.

The second photograph comprises a close-up view of mature flower buds.The flower and foliage colors in these photographs appear different thanthe actual colors due to light reflectance.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe plants grown in Edewecht, Germany, undercommercial field conditions.

Botanical classification: Calluna vulgaris cultivar `Anette`.

Commercial classification: Broom Heather.

Parentage: Naturally-occurring mutation of the Calluna vulgaris cultivar`Melanie` (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,789).

Propagation:

Type.--Terminal cuttings.

Time to rooting.--About 30 and 40 days with soil temperatures of 25 and18°C, respectively.

Rooting habit.--Fibrous and freely branching.

Plant description:

Appearance.--Generally low mounded shrub, freely and strong basalbranching, very dense. Flower spikes arise at terminal apices. Numerousaxillary branches below flower spikes. Appropriate for 500-ml to 3-litercontainers.

Plant height from soil level to top plant plane.--About 16 cm.

Growth rate.--Moderate to rapid.

Vigor.--Moderate to high.

Crop time.--About 14 months are required from unrooted cuttings tofinishing in a 10 to 15-cm container. Plants are generally grown withoutsupplemental heat and pruned twice during production.

Foliage description.--Opposite, scale-like and bractiolate, sessile,arranged on stems which are roughly square in cross-section. Length: 1to 2 mm. Width: 0.3 to 0.8 mm. Color: Mature foliage, 146B.

Flower description:

Appearance.--Flowers formed at the terminals of main branches. Flowerspikes have numeruous uniformly-spaced auxiliary verticils with clustersof 2 to 4, or more, mature buds outwardly radiating from the apex ofoppositely-placed, short branches arising from leaf axils. Length ofspikes is normally about 10 cm. The number of buds formed is aboutaverage for the species. Flower buds do not open to a flower, but ratherremain in the bud stage. The corolla characteristics and thereproductive organs of the new Heather are typical of the species.Flowering recurrent.

Natural flowering season.--The new Heather produces flower buds in thefall (September through November) and remain in the bud stage for about6 months, or until early spring.

Flower bud description.--Shape: Elliptic. Length: About 5 mm. Diameter:1 to 2 mm. Sepal color: 64C, fading to light pink to white.

Disease resistance: No known resistance to Heather diseases has beenobserved to date on plants grown under commercial conditions. Infectionwith Glomorella cingulata and Botrytis cinerea is possible.

Seed production: The new Heather does not produce seed because thepistil is covered by the calyx.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Heather plant named`Anette`, as illustrated and described.